National Institute Of Materials Physics - Romania

Publications

847 articles found

391. Superconductivity in MgB2 irradiated with energetic protons

Authors: Sandu, V; Craciun, L; Ionescu, AM; Aldica, G; Miu, L; Kuncser, A

Published: SEP 15 2016, PHYSICA C-SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND ITS APPLICATIONS, 528, 34, DOI: 10.1016/j.physc.2016.07.006

A series of MgB2 samples were irradiated with protons of 11.3 and 13.2 MeV. Magnetization data shows an insignificant reduction of the critical temperatures but a continuous decrease of the Meissner fraction with increasing fluence or energy. All samples show a consistent improvement of the critical current density compared to the virgin sample and an increase of the pinning energy at high fields as resulted from relaxation data. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

392. Dense, Regular GaAs Nanowire Arrays by Catalyst-Free Vapor Phase Epitaxy for Light Harvesting

Authors: Jin, JH; Stoica, T; Trellenkamp, S; Chen, Y; Anttu, N; Migunov, V; Kawabata, RMS; Buenconsejo, PJS; Lam, YM; Haas, F; Hardtdegen, H; Grutzmacher, D; Kardynal, BE

Published: AUG 31 2016, ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES, 8, 22492, DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b05581

Density dependent growth and optical properties of periodic arrays of GaAs nanowires (NWs) by fast selective area growth MOVPE are investigated. As the period of the arrays is decreased from 500 nm down to 100 nm, a volume growth enhancement by a factor of up to four compared with the growth of a planar layer is observed. This increase is explained as resulting from increased collection of precursors on the side walls of the nanowires due to the gas flow redistribution in the space between the NWs. Normal spectral reflectance of the arrays is strongly reduced compared with a flat substrate surface in all fabricated arrays. Electromagnetic modeling reveals that this reduction is caused by antireflective action of the nanowire arrays and nanowire-diameter dependent light absorption. Irrespective of the periodicity and diameter, Raman scattering and grazing angle X-ray diffraction show signal from zinc blende and wurtzite phases, the latter-originating from stacking faults, as observed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Raman spectra contain intense surface phonons peaks, whose intensity depends strongly on the nanowire diameters as a result of potential structural changes and as well as variations of optical field distribution in the nanowires.

393. Ferritin surplus in mouse spleen 14 months after intravenous injection of iron oxide nanoparticles at clinical dose

Authors: Tamion, A; Hillenkamp, M; Hillion, A; Maraloiu, VA; Vlaicu, ID; Stefan, M; Ghica, D; Rositi, H; Chauveau, F; Blanchin, MG; Wiart, M; Dupuis, V

Published: AUG 2016, NANO RESEARCH, 9, 2410, DOI: 10.1007/s12274-016-1126-6

In this study, we followed the biodegradation of ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles injected intravenously at clinical doses in mice. An advanced fitting procedure for magnetic susceptibility curves and low-temperature hysteresis loops was used to fully characterize the magnetic size distribution as well as the magnetic anisotropy energy of the injected P904 nanoparticles (Guerbet Laboratory). Additional magnetometry measurements and transmission electronic microscopy observations were systematically performed to examine dehydrated samples from the spleen and liver of healthy C57B16 mice after nanoparticle injection, with sacrifice of the mice for up to 14 months. At 3 months after injection, the magnetic properties of the spleen and liver were dramatically different. While the liver showed no magnetic signals other than those also present in the reference species, the spleen showed an increased magnetic signal attributed to ferritin. This surplus of ferritin remained constant up to 14 months after injection.

394. Low level NO2 detection under humid background and associated sensing mechanism for mesoporous SnO2

Authors: Stanoiu, A; Somacescu, S; Calderon-Moreno, JM; Teodorescu, VS; Florea, OG; Sackmann, A; Simion, CE

Published: AUG 2016, SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL, 231, 174, DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2016.02.137

Mesoporous SnO2 prepared by a hydrothermal synthesis route assisted by the ionic surfactant Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, has rutile-type tetragonal symmetry, small homogeneous nanocrystallite size of similar to 4 nm and good thermal stability. Porosity analysis revealed high surface area similar to 127 m(2)/g and a narrow pore size distribution, with an average pore diameter similar to 4 nm. The mesoporous structure is likewise advantageous towards enhancing the surface reactivity and subsequent gas sensing performances. The role played by the surface hydroxylation on the NO2 sensing mechanism was discussed with respect to the associated photoelectron spectral components. Under humid air, associated with the in-field conditions, the highest sensitivity was attained at 150 degrees C, were the sensor signal towards NO2 is 4 times higher than the one recorded in dry air. This feature has been experimentally demonstrated by simultaneous electrical resistance and work function changes measurements conducted in the range of 400-5000 ppb NO2. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

395. Aggregates of Mn2+ Ions in Mesoporous Self-Assembled Cubic ZnS:Mn Quantum Dots: Composition, Localization, Structure, and Magnetic Properties

Authors: Nistor, SV; Stefan, M; Nistor, LC; Kuncser, V; Ghica, D; Vlaicu, ID

Published: JUL 7 2016, JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C, 120, 14466, DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b04866

The source of collective magnetism in II-VI semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) doped with Mn2+ ions at high nominal impurity levels is still under debate. In the particular case of mesoporous, self-assembled cubic ZnS:Mn QDs, quantitative electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies have shown that the Mn2+ ions incorporated in the core and on the surface of the QDs cannot be responsible for the observed collective magnetism because they remain in a diluted paramagnetic state up to the 50 000 ppm nominal concentration. Here we investigate the composition, localization, structure, and magnetic properties of the aggregates of Mn2+ ions incorporated in the mesoporous cZnS:Mn as a possible source of the observed collective magnetism. Samples of mesoporous cubic ZnS:Mn prepared by coprecipitation at several nominal impurity levels from 200 to 50 000 ppm are investigated by EPR, magnetometry, and analytical high resolution (scanning) transmission electron microscopy. The low temperature magnetic properties of the Mn2+ aggregates change from paramagnetic-like, for samples with nominal impurity levels up to 2000 ppm, to ones specific to larger clusters with distributed antiferromagnetic coupling at higher concentrations, behaving superparamagnetically above a certain temperature. There is also strong evidence that the Mn2+ aggregates responsible for the observed low temperature collective magnetism are incorporated as an amorphous phase of mainly Mn-Zn-O composition, localized in the interstices and pores of the mesoporous structure of the cubic ZnS:Mn QDs.

396. Optically Pumped GeSn Microdisk Lasers on Si

Authors: Stange, D; Wirths, S; Geiger, R; Schulte-Braucks, C; Marzban, B; von den Driesch, N; Mussler, G; Zabel, T; Stoica, T; Hartmann, JM; Mantl, S; Ikonic, Z; Gruetzmacher, D; Sigg, H; Witzens, J; Buca, D

Published: JUL 2016, ACS PHOTONICS, 3, 1285, DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.6b00258

The strong correlation between advancing the performance of Si microelectronics and their demand of low power consumption requires new ways of data communication. Photonic circuits on Si are already highly developed except for an eligible on-chip laser source integrated monolithically. The recent demonstration of an optically pumped waveguide laser made from the Si-congruent GeSn alloy, monolithical laser integration has taken a big step forward on the way to an all-inclusive nanophotonic platform in CMOS. We present group IV microdisk lasers with significant improvements in lasing temperature and lasing threshold compared to the previously reported nonundercut Fabry Perot type lasers. Lasing is observed up to 130 K with optical excitation density threshold of 220 kW/cm(2) at 50 K. Additionally the influence of strain relaxation on the band structure of undercut resonators is discussed and allows the proof of laser emission for a just direct Ge0.915Sn0.085 alloy where Gamma and L valleys have the same energies. Moreover, the observed cavity modes are identified and modeled.

397. High atomic diffusivity during pulsed laser irradiation of TiON quasi-amorphous films

Authors: Teodorescu, VS; Maraloiu, AV; Negrea, RF; Ghica, D; Scarisoreanu, ND; Dinescu, M; Gartner, M; Blanchin, MG

Published: JUN 30 2016, APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE, 374, 251, DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.11.188

Quasi-amorphous titanium oxynitride (TiON) films were obtained by annealing sol-gel anatase TiO2 films in NH3 atmosphere at 600 degrees C. These films were irradiated with 50 laser pulses using the fourth harmonic (266 nm) radiation of the Nd-YAG laser, with an average fluence of 20 mJ/cm(2). HRTEM observations of the pulsed laser irradiated films evidenced the rutile TiO2 nanocrystallites formation. The rutile structure was not present either in the TiON films before the laser irradiation, or in the initial sol-gel anatase TiO2 films. During the laser irradiation, the film structure remains in the solid state phase, as it results from the temperature estimation and microscopic observations. For the rutile nanocrystals formation, the atomic diffusion length of the oxygen and titanium atoms should be in the nanometric range during the laser pulse action, which implies a diffusivity close to the values observed in the liquid phase. We consider that the rutile phase formation is a proof of the fast atomic diffusion in the solid amorphous matrix, during the laser irradiation. (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V.

398. Flexible heterostructures based on metal phthalocyanines thin films obtained by MAPLE

Authors: Socol, M; Preda, N; Rasoga, O; Breazu, C; Stavarache, I; Stanculescu, F; Socol, G; Gherendi, F; Grumezescu, V; Popescu-Pelin, G; Girtan, M; Stefan, N

Published: JUN 30 2016, APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE, 374, 410, DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.10.166

Heterostructures based on zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc), magnesium phthalocyanine (MgPc) and 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-pyrydil)21H,23H-porphine (TPyP) were deposited on ITO flexible substrates by Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE) technique. Organic heterostructures containing (TPyP/ZnPc(MgPc)) stacked or (ZnPc(MgPc):TPyP) mixed layers were characterized by X-ray diffraction-XRD, photoluminescence-PL, UV-vis and FTIR spectroscopy. No chemical decomposition of the initial materials was observed. The investigated structures present a large spectral absorption in the visible range making them suitable for organic photovoltaics applications (OPV). Scanning electron microscopy-SEM and atomic force microscopy-AFM revealed morphologies typical for the films prepared by MAPLE. The current-voltage characteristics of the investigated structures, measured in dark and under light, present an improvement in the current value (similar to 3 order of magnitude larger) for the structure based on the mixed layer (Al/MgPc:TPyP/ITO) in comparison with the stacked layer (Al/MgPc//TPyP/ITO). A photogeneration process was evidenced in the case of structures Al/ZnPc:TPyP/ITO with mixed layers. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

399. Correlation between strain and defects in Bi implanted Si

Authors: Palade, C; Lepadatu, AM; Slav, A; Ciurea, ML; Lazanu, S

Published: JUN 2016, JOURNAL OF PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY OF SOLIDS, 93, 32, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpcs.2016.02.005

The strain in Si containing group-V impurities is a topical subject of study due to its potential applications in quantum computing. In this paper we study Bi-209 implanted Si concerning the correlation between the strain produced by stopped Bi ions and trapping characteristics of the defects resulted from implantation. The depths distributions of stopped ions and primary defects are simulated and the distributions of permanent defects are modelled for Si implanted with low fluence Bi-209 ions of 28 MeV kinetic energy. For comparison, these depths distributions were similarly calculated for I-127 ions with the same fluence and energy, implanted in Si. The results are compared with each other and correlated with the characteristics of traps in these systems, previously obtained. We demonstrate that the intensity of the strain field is the most important factor in changing of trap parameters, while the superposition between the region with strain and the region where defects are located is a second order effect. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

400. Al2O3-cBN composites sintered by SPS and HPHT methods

Authors: Klimczyk, P; Cura, ME; Vlaicu, AM; Mercioniu, I; Wyzga, P; Jaworska, L; Hannula, SP

Published: JUN 2016, JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, 36, 1789, DOI: 10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2016.01.027

Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) and High Pressure-High Temperature (HPHT) methods were chosen in order to study the behaviour of metastable cubic boron nitride (cBN) during sintering of Al2O3 + 30 vol.% cBN composites at low and high pressure. Relatively low sintering temperatures were used to avoid the undesired reverse transformation of cBN to hexagonal, graphite-like form. The microstructure, and phase composition as well as physical and mechanical properties of the resulting Al2O3-cBN composites were investigated. In the ball-on-disc tests, the coefficient of friction and the specific wear rate of the sintered samples were determined by rotating the sample against a stationary alumina ball. The best composites obtained by SPS (at 1300 degrees C/75 MPa) had slightly lower density, Young's modulus and hardness than those obtained by HPHT but their wear resistance was much better. Formation of hBN was suppressed up to 1300 degrees C during SPS consolidation at the pressure of 75 MPa. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.